Grommet-winding machine



R. C. PIERCE.

GROMET WINDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Inc. I. 1921.

w 1% N. g n mP.

mm [M m DMUM/ R. C. PIERCE.

GHOMET WiNDING MACHINE.

APRLICATION FILED DEC. 7. 192:.

1,41 5,696, Patented May 9, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET'2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlE.

ROBERT C. PIERCE, 01F TALLMADGE, OHIO, ASSIGNUR TO THE F. GmIllD'RICH t'LUlltlI PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0]? NEW YORK.

GROMMET-WINDING- M.A.t"JHmE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 192%.

Application filed December 7, 1921. Serial No. mthllm.

Toall w/lom it may concern and useful Grommet-finding Machine, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to adjustable forms andmore particularly to means for changing the size of an annular work-receiving space such, for example, as is present in grommet winding machines of the general type described in U. S. Patent No. 1,294,160 of February 11, 1919, to A. C. Pratt, and in my co-pending application Serial No. 499,961, filed September 12, 1921.

Insuch machines a wire is fed into an annular form from a spool carried by a ring Winder, the wire being pushed circumferentially around in the form by a set of wire feeding rollers. The ring Winder may also carry a die or quill formed with a spiral passage through which the wire is forced by the wire-feeding rollers as it passes to the form, the wire thereby being given a permanent spiral form causing it to adjust itself to, and to retain, its proper position in the body of the grommet. The usual practice is to l eedinto the annular channel of the form a suflicient length of straight wire to form a core for a grommet and then to spiral the wire as it passes into the form to build the sheath or body of the grommet upon the core. It heretofore has been lmown that the straight wire for the core may be obtained by feeding the wire through the die with the ring winder stopped it the wire in the form, at the delivery end of the die, be held against turning on Its own anis, the wire in this case not being permanently deformed although passing throin'ggli the die.

The general object of my invention is to provide improved means -lor changing the size of the Work receiving space of a tor-m, and more particularly of an arcuate.

spaccsuch as is em loyed in machines of the character above referred to, wherein, for example, the work receiving space of the form first determines the curvature of the core of the grommet and must then be enlarged to correspond to the increased diameter of they complete grommet. A further object is to provide means adapted automatically to change the size of the work-receiving space in predetermined relation to the progress of the work.

(lit the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan View, with parts brolren away, of a grommet winding machine embodying a preferred form ol my invention, showing the parts in position for forming the core of a grommet, and a. partially formed grommet therein.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a part of the same with the work-receiving space enlarged to accommodate the tull'sized grommet, the latter being shown therein.

Fig. 3 is a detailed plan View, partly in section, of one end of the form.

Fig. 4 is a section on line l4c of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of the grommet as formed by the machine.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation ot the machine, with parts broken away.

Fig. 7 is areverse plan view, with parts broken away, of the form-supporting member.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section on lines s of Fig. 1.

The grommet as it leaves the machine may comprise an arcuate core strand'A (Fig. 5), an integral body portion B, of the same wire, wound helically about said core section and about an empty core space which with said arcuate core strand completes a circle, and an integral length l. of straight wire, at the last-wound end of spiral wire, adapted to be forced in between the spiraled convolutions by hand to occupy said core space and complete the core, the finished product being a grommet composed of a single wire, the end portions thereof lying within the body of the grommet and constituting a core therel'or.

After winding the body of a grommet, comprising usually sir: convolutions 0t spiraled wire lying in contact with each other about the arcuate core strand and the empty core space, it is the usual practice to stop the ring winder. while the wire feeder con tinues to feed into the form a length of straight wire sutficient to fill the empty core space of the last grommet and provide the arcuate core section of the next grommet, the core wire being prevented from assumtegral connection with the last-wound grommet, which holds it against turning on its own axis.

10 is a stationary plate constituting a part of the frame of the machine and having the form of an incomplete annulus or crescent. Mounted upon this plate are a pair of lower form members 11, 12 each having, in plan, the form of a half of a crescent, the one 11 at the rear of the machine being secured to the plate 10 and the front one, 12, )ivotally surrounding a rock-shaft 13, on the outer margin of the plate 10, being thus adapted for sliding movement on said plate. 14 is an adjusting screw swiveled in a block 15 secured to the under side of the plate 10, for moving the form member 12 on the plate 10 to adjust it for different sized grommets.

The lower form members 11, 12 provide the floor of the work-receiving cavity and each is formed with an upturned flange 16 (Figs. 1 and i), around its inner periphery, constituting the inner wall of said cavity. Upon said lower form members respectively are slidingly mounted a pair of arcuate upper form members 17, 18, of L-shaped cross-section, providing the outer wall and roof of the work-receiving cavity, said members 17, 18 being of substantially the same form, in plan, as the lower form members and being pivoted on the latter at 19 and 13 respectively.

Lying within the part of the work-receiving cavity formed by the front form members l2 and-18 is a metal tape 20 having one end secured to the end 21 of the member 18 and its other end passing partly around and being secured to a variable-radius, camshaped arm 22 mounted between the form members 12 and 18 and secured to a vertical pivot-pin 23 journaled in the upper form member 18, so that turning the variableradius arm 22 counter-clock-wise, as viewed in Figs. land 2, tightens the metal tape 20 and causes it to decrease the size at the work-receiving space, and a reverse movement has the opposite edect, the distance between the flange l6 and the arm 22 also changing by reason of the several working radii on the latter. The straight wire constituting the core of the grommet is shown. at-24(Fig. 1), with a few turns of spiral wire wound thereon and gripping the same. The partsas there shown are in closed position, the tape 20 being held by the arm 22 close to the inner flange 18 at the pivot end of the member 12, while in Fig. 2 the arm 22 has been turned clock-wise to pay out the tape and thereby enlarge the work-receiving space to accommodate the fullsized grommet, 25.

Another metal tape 26 (Figs. 3 and is mounted in the upper rear form member 17, one end of said tape being secured to a variable-radius arm. (not shown) corresponding to the arm 22 and secured to a pivot-pin 27 journaled in said form member 17.

To secure an approacluncm of the tape 26 to the inner flange 16 of illk' lowcr. rear form member 11 at the free end of said member as well as at other points. when the tape is tightened, and thereby to hold the grommet core closely to circular form. I. )refer to fold the end of the tape back upon ltself and attach its revcrscd end portion 28, which thus functions as a leaf. spring. to the form member 17, as shown in Fig. 3. i do not wholly limit my claims, however. to an integral relation o l the parts so and 28.

The pivot pins 27 and :2 are provided with arms, which resperiivcly are shown at 29 in Figs. 1 and 2 and at 30 in Fig. (3, said arms being connected by links 31. 31. with lever-arms 32, 32 ,--1=curcd to rot-ltshafts l3 and 19 journaled in pivot slccrcs. one of which sleeves is shown at 13 in Fig. 8, upon which the lower form member 12 and the upper form members 17. 18, turn, said shafts extending downward through the plate 10 and being provided below with leverarms 33, 33 7) having their outer ends adjacent each other and pressed against a bracket 3i on a bar 35 by the action of a tension spring 36 connectfiupthe arms 3:3 (Figs. 1 and 2).

The bar 35 (Fig. 7) has a slotted end slidably mounted upon a stud bolt 37. and its: other end is hinged to one arm of a lever 38 pivoted at 39 on the under side of the plate 10, the other arm at said lever being connected by a link 4d) with an arm -11 sccured to a vertical rock-shaft .2. The latter is journaled in the frame oi the machine and provided at its lower end with a cam finger 43 adapted to be engaged by a later ally-acting cam 14: on a cam drum iii to rock said shaft and, through the connections just described, to rotate the variable radius:- arm 22 and its mate toward each other and so hold them, against the action of spring 36, to tighten the tapes and 133 and thus restrict the work-rcceiviup; space during the passage or" said cam p the linger. 'lhc cam drum i5 is prov" with other cams (not shown) for timing the operation or" the ring winder and the w' rollrr 52, 52 are spring}; lt heads of stud bolts 53 mounted in ih form members 1l,.,12.to hoid the upper form members 1?, 18 in position. sing the wind ing of the grommet. cat-h 'ui'ch bein, con nected by a linlr "hrnnb lever 135i adjacent a handle or; on 0 form member, by which handles the tin members may he slid outward onto 2: p 1" of supporting ears 5-7, 57 formed on the lowcr i'orin iucmhers. to open the form for the removal of the finished grommet. the upper torn]. lurinl 1. ii

hers, when so opened, taking the positions indicated by dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 1.

The preferred mechanism here shown for feeding the wire into the form. is known in the art but may be briefly described as comprising a peripherally supported ring winder 46 provided with a driving"- gear 47 and carrying a wire spool 48 and a set of wire-feeding rollers 49, 49, driven through intermediate gears and shafts from a gear (not shown) formed on the rear end of a sleeve 149, journaled concentrically in the ring winder 46 and formed with a gear 50 on its front end by which it is driven in the same direction as the winder but at a higher speed. 51 is the die through which the wire is forced by the rollers 49, giving it the spiral form when the ring winder 46 is turning.

The starting and stopping of the winder and the wire-feeding rollers may be controlled by suitable cams on the drums 45 in the manner described in my aforesaid copending application.

58 is a compensating counter-balance for the wire spool 48, such as is described in the co-pending application Serial No. 493,257 of Harvey L. Young.

59 is a stationary, two-part, hinged funnel, in the gap of the form, for directing the wire from the die 51 into the form. 60 is a worm wheel through which the cam drum 45 is driven, counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 6, to time the operation of the ring winder 46 and the wire-feeding rollers 49, as well as the form-adjusting mechanism above described.

In the operation of the machine, the upper form members 17 18 being opened out on the ears 57, exposing the last-wound grommet and a complete circle of plain or nonspiraled wire integral therewith and with the wire on the spool 48. said non-spiraled wire, is severed relatively near its junction with the spiraled body of the grommet and the latter is removed from the form. in which is left preferably about three-fourths of a circle of non-spiraled wire extending from the die 51. The form is then closed and the machine started, the ring winder feeding spiraled wire into the form while the cam 44, through the finger 43, variableradius arms 22, and intermediate parts, holds the metal tapes 20, 26 taut, constricting the work-receiving space to control the size of the grommet core. When the end of the non-spiraled wire reaches the funnel 59, the spiral wire begins to be laid thereon, and when the core-end with the spiraled wire thereon is crowded into the workreceiving space and reaches approximately the position shown in Fig. 1, the cam 44 leaves the finger 43 and permits the spring 36 to turn the arms 22, releasing the tapes 20, 26, and thereby enlarging the workreceiving space to accommodate the increased diameter of the work due to the addition of the spiraled convolutions to the core. \Vhen the work-receiving space is thus enlarged the core itself does not correspondingly enlarge by springing out against the outer wall of said space because its end is gripped by the first few turns of spiraled wire laid thereon, holding it to its original circumference.

The ring winder then continues to lay spiraled wire on the core and about the empty core space constituting the rest of the circle, until the body of the grommet is completed. The ring winder then stops while the wire-feeding rollers 49 continue to feed a complete circle of non-spiraled wire into the form. The form is then opened, the non-spiraled wire severed as before, and the operation is repeated, the cam drum being freed from the driving mechanism of the machine and turned by hand after the finished grommet is removed, to bring the cam 44 into operation and again restrict the work-receiving space.

While the rigid form members 11, 12 and 17. 18 coact with the tape to preserve its substantially circular form under pressure of the work, this effect is also secured by the action of the variable-radius arm 22, which shortens and lengthens the chord as well as the arc defined by the tape.

Modifications may be resorted to without departing from the scope of my invention, and I do not wholly limit my claims to the specific construction here shown.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character specified, I

the combination of a form for giving wire an annular shape. means for feeding wire into said form, and mechanism timed with the wire-feeding means for automatically varying the effective diameter of said form.

2. In a grommet-winding machine, the combination of a ring winder, a wire'spool carried thereby. a form enclosing a curved work-receiving space. means for feeding wire from said spool into said space. a timing device. and means controlled by said device for enlarging said pace.

3. In a grommet-winding machine, the

combination of a ring winder, a wire spool carried thereby. a form enclosing a curved work-receiving space, means for feeding wire from said pool into said space, a wirespiraling die carried by the winder, a cam drum for timing the operation of said winder and wire-feeding means, and means controlled by said drum for enlarging said work-receiving space in predetermined relation to the operation of said ring winder.

4. In a machine of the character specified, the combination of a form for giving wire an annular shape. said form including a curvilinear tape, and means for adjusting said tape to vary the effective diameter of said form.

5. In a grommet-winding machine, an adjustable form comprising a metal tape constituting an outer wall of a curvilinear work-receiving space, and means for pulling and slacking said tape to change the length of said work-receiving space.

6. In a grommet-winding machine, an adjustable form comprising a rigid member constituting an inner wall of a curvilinear work-receiving space, aflexible tape constituting an outer wall of said space, and means for pulling and slacking said tape to change the size of said work-receiving space.

7. In a grommetavinding machine, an adjustable form comprising a rigid member constituting an inner wall of a curvilinear work-receiving space, a flexible tape constituting an outer wall of said space, and a variable-radiu arm for pulling and slacking said tape to change the size of said workreceivingspace. I

8. In a grommet-winding machine, an adjustable form including a flexible tape constituting an outer wall. of a curved workreceiving space, and means adapted to pull said tape to shorten its effective length while bringing the virtual ends of said tape nearer each other substantially to preserve its degree of curvature.

9. In a grommet-winding machine, an adjustable form comprising a pair of rigid members adapted together to define a curvilinear work-receiving cavity and separable to open said cavity, a flexible tape lying in said cavity, and means for pulling and slacking said tape. U

10. In a grommetrwinding machine, an adjustable form comprising an outer form member, a leaf-spring having one end Se cured thereto, a flexible tape secured to the free end of said spring and constituting an outer wall of a curvilinear work-receiving space, and means for pulling said tape against the tension of said spring.

11. In a grommet-winding machine, an adjustable form comprising an outer form member, a leaf-spring having one end secured thereto, a flexible tape securedto the free end of said spring and constituting the outer wall of a curved work-receiving space, and a variable-radius cam-shaped'arm for pulling the tape against the tension'of said spring to reduce the size of said work-receiving space.

12. In a grommet-winding machine, an

adjustable form comprising a structure forming a floor and inner wall of a curved work-receiving cavity, a pair of curved upper form members pivoted at ad acent point on said structure and forming a roof and outer wall of said cavity, a pair of flexible tapes'in said cavity having their outer ends connected with said form members respectively, shafts journaled concentrically with the pivots of said form members, and means operatively connected with said shafts for pulling and slacking said tapes.

13. In a grommet-winding machine, the combination of grommet-winding mechanism, a form for the grommet having an adjustable tape for varying its effective size, and means timed with said winding mechanism for automatically ad'usting said tape. 14. In a grommet-winding machine, an adjustable form comprising a structure forming a floor and-inner wall of a curved work-receiving cavity, a curved upper form member pivoted on said structure and forming a roof and outer wall of said cavity, a flexible tape in said cavity having one end connected with said form member, a shaft journaled concentrically with the pivot of said form member and connected with the other end of said tape, means operatively connected with said shaft for pulling and slacking said tape, mechanism for winding .a grommet contained in the form, and means for automatically turning said shaft in predetermined relation to the operation of the winding mechanism.

15. In a grommet-winding machine, the combination of grommet-winding mechanism, a grommet-sizing and holding form comprising a pair of substantially semi-circular sections between which the winding mechanism operates, and means timed with said mechanism for automatically enlarging said form at a predetermined stage.

16. In a grommet-winding machine, the combination of grommet-winding mechanism, a form comprising a pair of substantially semi-circular sections having grommet-sizing tapes between which the windin mechanism operates, and means timed with said winding mechanism for automatically slacking said tapes to enlarge the working space at a certain stage in the formation of the grommet.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand' this 29 day of November, 1921.

ROBERT C. PIERCE. 

